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Alicia Nichols stays with it to achieve success

Brush grad helps college team achieve success

By Jonathan Seib

Times sports writer

Posted:
03/26/2014 12:13:42 PM MDT

Click photo to enlarge

Wyoming's Chelan Landry, left, and Colorado State's Alicia Nichols go after a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA women's college basketball game in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference tournament on Friday, March 14, in Las Vegas.

Colorado State's (24) Alicia Nichols shoots while defended by Fresno State's Alex Sheedy during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game for the Mountain West Conference tournament championship, Saturday, March 15, in Las Vegas (Isaac Brekken / AP)

Alicia Nichols is a testament to what being flexible but tenacious in the pursuit of your dreams can accomplish. The small town girl from Brush has been a part of the Colorado State University Women's Basketball return to winning ways, culminating in an appearance at the WNIT tournament.

Nichols started off as a stellar player. She holds numerous records at Brush High School, including rebounds in a season, scoring in a season and a career and assists in a game, season and career. The records were so numerous that Nichols could not remember them all. Some of that comes from the team first attitude of the player, who was always far more concerned with her team than with stats.

After high school, Nichols would continue her playing career, and education at Northeastern Junior College as a Plainsman.

"It worked well for me because of what I wanted to do academically. But also it was close to home. My career at NJC prepared me better for playing at the level I wanted to," said Nichols.

She explained that because she came from a 3A school, she wasn't getting looked at by any Division I schools.

"Going the JUCO route really prepared me for what I wanted to do, which was play D1," she said.

"I had a great experience there playing under (Darrell) Parker. He put me in the position as a three guard and I was able to work on my shot and what else I needed to work on," she further explained.

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After playing two years at NJC, Nichols was ready to continue her education at a four-year school, and to take another shot at playing basketball. Nichols did not have a basketball scholarship and joined the team as a walk on.

"When I first got here, I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't even sure that I wanted to do it at first," said Nichols.

She did not pick CSU with athletic considerations in mind, she went there because of their strong animal science and agricultural business programs.

"It worked out prefect for me. Having a new coaching staff coming in the year I walked on was great. They just kind of accepted me and there was an open spot and I got it. I couldn't ask for a better career. It just worked out," said Nichols.

That open spot was a little different from what she was used to. That is where being flexible and adaptable paid off for Nichols.

"In high school I played a two-guard (point-guard), and then I transition to more of a three. Here at CSU I'm a four or more of a post position so I've gone through about every role so I have gained more or a versatile role since I can play guard or a post," said Nichols.

She said that she has tried to do the best she can in the roles. She also feels like she has contributed in some small role to the part of the Ram's newfound success. The year Nichols walked on CSU was trying to right itself under coach Ryun Williams. This year, the Lady Rams had it's first winning season since 2009 and the most wins it has had since 2002. This year the Lady Rams won the regular season in the Mountain West conference, and then lost to Fresno State in the final game of the Mountain West tournament, missing a shot at the NCAA tournament but getting a chance to host the first round of the WNIT tournament.

But more than just the success on the court, Nichols is getting a chance to meet, befriend and play with girls from all over the world. This year's roster boasts girls from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Belgium.

"It's so exciting to play with these girls now and this team, with girls from all walks of life. From Europe to California to North Dakota," said Nichols.

Nichols said that one of her most memorable moments from her career was finding out that they won the regular season after playing UNLV. In order to be placed No. 1 by themselves, Boise had to lose to Fresno and the game had gone in to overtime.

"We were just all kind of waiting around and nervous because we wanted it to ourselves. And once we found out Fresno won we were so excited. You could just see it on our faces. It hadn't been done in 12 years," said Nichols.

Then, on senior night as CSU took on Wyoming, with the title theirs alone, they were awarded the trophy.

"Getting that trophy on senior night, there is no way to describe that feeling of getting to celebrate with your teammates and just having fun with them. Just being able to say you are a Mountain West Conference champion from the regular season. There is no better feeling than that," said Nichols.

Nichols gave a lot of the credit for being able to get to the point she has to her past coaches, who let her work on her game and improve the areas she needed to. She also said that being able to listen to them and getting feedback from other players continually helped her improve her game.

She also said that her high school team allowed her to have confidence in who she was and in junior college she was able to play against better talent to get ready to make the Division I leap.

She also said that she loved growing up in Brush and playing there

"Coming from Brush, everywhere I go, even here, people are like look there is the Brush Beetdiggers. I am proud to be a Beetdigger and proud of where I come from. I live on a farm and ranch. I couldn't ask for a better place to have grown up," she said.

And the now college senior is really looking forward to returning to that small town life. After she graduates she plans on leasing her father's herd with her brothers and sisters and ranching with them. While they are taking over the herd this summer, her brothers and sisters might have to do without her for awhile as Nichols weighs over an opportunity to go play basketball in Europe.

"I have an opportunity right now. Nothing is for sure yet, so I guess we'll see," said Nichols. "But I'm blessed to be where I'm from and I'm blessed to be here now."

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